Consultation critical friend report

Healthwatch Kent acts as a critical friend to organisations who carry out consultations. They have designed a Best Practice Guide to Consultations in partnership with the Consultation Institute, KCC plus NHS providers and commissioners.

This consultation was held from 2 November to 14 December 2015. The Healthwatch Consultation Working Group agreed to act as critical friend on this consultation on 16 November 2015.

120 people responded of which only 59 were parents. There is reference in the consultation document to stakeholder engagement but engagement with the public to discuss the case for change is not mentioned other than briefly in the equality impact assessment. Reference is made to the engagement done for the Children and Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing Strategy which would have been an element of this consultation.

This was one of the first consultations where Healthwatch Kent has acted as critical friend, and it became clear that the requirements and interpretations of what is required of the county council differs from NHS consultations. Although it is not a legal requirement on the council to have input from the public in developing the options for consultation, the best practice guidelines developed by Healthwatch Kent and Kent County Council recommend this happens.